Amount of trub

[Texas Jim]

Is there any info to be gained by looking at the amount of trub left after a ferment? Does it indicate, in any way, whether you over or under pitched?

[ShineRunner]

I don’t think there’s any useful information to be gleaned by just looking at. Possibly, looking at it under a microscope and measuring very accurately the amount of trub to compare to other ferments. But why? If you like what it makes, does it matter? Just my $0.02

SR

[zapata]

I can't think of anything useful it could tell you in normal circumstances. Unless the batch has something strange going on and youre searching every detail for a clue, or unless the trub has some strange characteristic that stands out I don't pay it much attention.

[Texas Jim]

The yeast I using - Fermentis safale UW6 - has a pitching rate of 50-80 grams per HL. That’s a pretty big range, so I was wondering if here was a way to tell if I was pitching the right amount.

[Twisted Brick]

Texas Jim,

Interesting way to look at trub volume as an indicator of ferment efficiency.

There seems to be a wide range of acceptable pitching rates. After pitching, your lag time time to activity seems to be the biggest indicator.

[Texas Jim]

Makes sense. I pitched at the highest rate and it was almost instantaneous. So I pitched at the lower rate and it took an extra day - still got done though.

Is there a target I should be going for?

[Twisted Brick]

Convention has it that the shorter the lag time, the smaller the risk of infection.

The other school of thought is that some kinds of infections make for more end flavor. Go figure.

[Mike6090]

Keep in mind pitching quantity is only part of the equation. You can make a starter of 12 oz of total volume and includes 1 tbsp yeast 1 tbsp nutrient, 1 tbsp sugar and the rest warm water. Let it sit and hour or two and when it gets good and foamy it will have a running start over dry yeast and a much faster ferment.